Book 3 of The Hunger Games is here!

From Publishers Weekly: "This concluding volume in Collins's Hunger Games trilogy accomplishes a rare feat, the last installment being the best yet, a beautifully orchestrated and intelligent novel that succeeds on every level. At the end of Catching Fire, Katniss had been dramatically rescued from the Quarter Quell games; her fellow tribute, Peeta, has presumably been taken prisoner by the Capitol. Now the rebels in District 13 want Katniss (who again narrates) to be the face of the revolution, a propaganda role she's reluctant to play. One of Collins's many achievements is skillfully showing how effective such a poster girl can be, with a scene in which Katniss visits the wounded, cameras rolling to capture (and retransmit) her genuine outrage at the way in which war victimizes even the noncombatants. Beyond the sharp social commentary and the nifty world building, there's a plot that doesn't quit: nearly every chapter ends in a reversal-of-fortune cliffhanger." Check it out!

Hitting the shelves in just a few days is Jonathan Franzen's long awaited second novel (after The Corrections). The critics are already lavishing it with praise: "Nine years after winning the National Book Award, Franzen's The Corrections consistently appears on "Best of the Decade" lists and continues to enjoy a popularity that borders on the epochal, so much so that the first question facing Franzen's feverishly awaited follow-up is whether it can find its own voice in its predecessor's shadow. In short: yes, it does, and in a big way. " (Publishers Weekly). Reserve your copy now!

From Family Circle Magazine: "This eloquent book is subtitled "A Mother's Memoir," but that's not giving Kenison's chronicle of her sons' increasing independence its full due. It's also about longing and fulfillment , taking stock of failures and achievements, a search for the elusive "something more" of one's existence-and a reminder that life's seemingly mundane moments are often where we find beauty, grace and transformation."

From Library Journal: "It is a rare novel that's so captivating that the reader feels transported through time and fully immersed in an unfamiliar culture and place, and this is such a novel. Mitchell, a Man Booker Prize finalist for Cloud Atlas, returns with a story set at the turn of the 18th century around Dejima, an artificial island located in Nagasaki Bay and used as a trade outpost by the Dutch East Indies Company. A small group of mostly Dutch merchants lives on Dejima under the watchful eye of Japanese guards, government officials, and translators. Clerk Jacob de Zoet comes to Dejima for a period of five years to make his fortune and return to marry his wealthy fiancee in Holland. An honest man, Jacob intends to put the company's financial records in order and root out corruption, but after meeting midwife Orito Aibagawa, he becomes entangled in events far more sinister than forged ledgers. [This novel] is intelligent and utterly readable at the same time. Highly recommended."

New from Stephenie Meyer!

Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion.

The emergence of the Viking age at the end of the eighth century ushered in a new era in the history of Europe, one in which the paganism of the conquering tribes of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark was swept aside by the Christian values of those they defeated. With the technological genius of their longships and their vigorous spirit, the Vikings ranged widely through Europe, introducing their distinct culture along with their much-vaunted maritime prowess. In this definitive history, Robert Ferguson presents the extraordinary story of the Nordic warriors and explorers who have long held our imagination. Check it out!

"Is Google making us stupid?" When Nicholas Carr posed that question in a celebrated Atlantic Monthly cover story, he tapped into a well of anxiety about how the Internet is changing us. He also crystallized one of the most important debates of our time: As we enjoy the Net's bounties, are we sacrificing our ability to read and think deeply? Now Carr expands his argument into the most compelling exploration of the Internet's intellectual and cultural consequences yet published. Weaving insights from philosophy, neuroscience, and history into a rich narrative, The Shallows explains how the Net is rerouting our neural pathways, replacing the subtle mind of the book reader with the distracted mind of the screen watcher. A gripping story of human transformation played out against a backdrop of technological upheaval, The Shallows will forever alter the way we think about media and our minds.

Newly arrived at the library:

Love Actually (Rotten Tomatoes rating 63%)








The Devil Wears Prada (Rotten Tomatoes rating 75%)







Invictus (Rotten Tomatoes rating 76%)

New from Nevada Barr!

Anna Pigeon, a Ranger with the National Park Service, is newly married but on administrative leave from her job as she recovers from the traumas of the past couple of months. While the physical wounds have healed, the emotional ones are still healing. With her new husband back at work, Anna decides to go and stay with an old friend from the Park Service, Geneva, who works as a singer at the New Orleans Jazz NHP. She isn't in town long before she crosses paths with a tenant of Geneva's, a creepy guy named Jordan. She discovers what seems to be an attempt to place a curse on her a gruesomely killed pigeon marked with runic symbols; and begins to slowly find traces of very dark doings in the heart of post-Katrina New Orleans. Tied up in all of this is Jordan, who is not at all what he appears to be; a fugitive mother accused of killing her husband and daughters in a fire; and faint whispers of unpleasant goings-on in the heart of the slowly recovering city. Now it will take all of Anna's skills learned in the untamed outdoors to navigate the urban jungle in which she finds herself, to uncover the threads that connect these seemingly disparate people, and to rescue the most vulnerable of creatures from the most savage of animals.

From Publishers Weekly: "Near the start of this outstanding novel of psychological suspense from Edgar-winner Lippman (Life Sentences), Eliza Benedict, a 38-year-old married mother of two living in suburban Maryland, receives a letter from Walter Bowman, the man who kidnapped her the summer she was 15 and is now on death row. The narrative shifts between the present and that long ago summer, when Eliza involuntarily became a part of Walter's endless road trip, including the fateful night when he picked up another teenage girl, Holly Tackett. Soon after Walter killed Holly, Eliza was rescued and taken home. Eliza must now balance a need for closure with a desire to protect herself emotionally. Walter wants something specific from her, but she has no idea what, and she's not sure that she wants to know."

From the producer: "Booker T. Jones is known as a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer, and arranger, and is best known for fronting Booker T and the MGs. This is his first solo album in decades. He teamed with southern rockers Drive-By Truckers to produce an album that is raw and edgy, fun and innovative. And just to seal the deal, long-time Booker associate Neil Young dropped by to play blistering lead guitar on nine of the ten tracks." Check it out!

The new Honor Harrington novel is here!

The Star Kingdom of Manticore and the Republic of Haven have been enemies for Honor Harrington's entire life, and she has paid a price for the victories she's achieved in that conflict. And now the unstoppable juggernaut of the mighty Solarian League is on a collision course with Manticore. The millions who have already died may have been only a foretaste of the billions of casualties just over the horizon, and Honor sees it coming. She's prepared to do anything, risk anything, to stop it, and she has a plan that may finally bring an end to the Havenite Wars and give even the Solarian League pause. But there are things not even Honor knows about. There are forces in play, hidden enemies in motion, all converging on the Star Kingdom of Manticore to crush the very life out of it, and Honor's worst nightmares fall short of the oncoming reality. But Manticore's enemies may not have thought of everything after all. Because if everything Honor Harrington loves is going down to destruction, it won't be going alone.

From Barnes & Noble: "Pablo Picasso once complained, "Everyone wants to understand painting. Why is there no attempt to understand the song of birds?" New Scientist polymath Colin Tudge meets that challenge and much more. His urge to understand is apparently insatiable; he is deeply intrigued by the color-coded eating habits of peacocks, the sex life of seabirds, and the nesting habits of kiwis and puffins. With Aesop, Tudge knows that it is not just fine feathers that make fine birds; pigeons seem to fascinate him as much as the brightly colored leafbirds of India and the Philippines. The Bird will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about birds and somehow leave you even more delighted." A book for anyone that's ever enjoyed watching or listening to birds!

In the ten years since his classic Kitchen Confidential first alerted us to the idiosyncrasies and lurking perils of eating out, from Monday fish to the breadbasket conspiracy, much has changed for the subculture of chefs and cooks, for the restaurant business-and for Anthony Bourdain. Medium Raw explores these changes, moving back and forth from the author's bad old days to the present. Tracking his own strange and unexpected voyage from journeyman cook to globe-traveling professional eater and drinker, and even to fatherhood, Bourdain takes no prisoners as he dissects what he's seen, pausing along the way for a series of confessions, rants, investigations, and interrogations of some of the most controversial figures in food. Bourdain pulls back the curtain-but never pulls his punches-on the modern gastronomical revolution, as only he can. Check it out!

In our increasingly technology driven society it may seem strange that there is a wildly popular sub-genre of books featuring the Amish, but it is absolutely true. Authors such as Beverly Lewis, Wanda Brunstetter, Cindy Woodsmall and Shelley Shepard Gray have thousands and thousands of avid fans who enjoy books that celebrate the simplicity, slower pace and faith of the Amish.

Book sale is this Saturday

Mark your calendars and prepare to get here early - the annual August used book sale at the Red Wing Public Library will be held this Saturday from 9am to noon!

Can you name a book by its cover?

Courtesy of Sporcle.com (and via the folks at Morton Grove Public Library) comes a fun quiz. How many of the books whose covers are partially shown can you identify? The top staff result (so far) is 17/24 (Randy) but I'm sure many of you can do better! So give it a shot and enter your score in the comments!

In this thoughtful, provocative book, a former Olympian persuasively demonstrates how sports offer powerful and often overlooked tools with which to explore fundamental subjects, including biology, morality, globalization, culture, gender, race, and economics. Backed by cutting-edge scientific research and case studies, Syed shatters long-held myths about meritocracy, talent, performance, and the mind. He explains why some people thrive under pressure and others choke, and weighs the value of innate ability against that of practice, hard work, and will. Check it out!

2010 RITA awards

The Romance Writers of America have announced the winners of the 2010 RITA awards. Winners were selected from over 1,200 entrants in 12 different categories of romances. Check them out!